Device for locking a flexible laminar element to a frame

ABSTRACT

A locking device of a flexible laminar element connected to a frame, in order to achieve a bearing structure which houses a person&#39;s body, comprises a groove obtained along one part of the perimeter of the frame and a shaped insert which is pressed into the groove in order to constrain the perimetral edge of the flexible laminar element between the groove and the shaped insert. Inside the grove a plurality of openings is arranged for the passage of as many appendixes of the shaped insert equipped with coupling elements which snap the shaped insert to the frame.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The invention is about a locking device for connecting a flexiblelaminar element to a frame, specifically suitable for being used in themaking of structures apt to hold a person's body such as chairs,deck-chairs, sun-beds, and alike.

In the state of the art sun-beds, deck-chairs or chairs, the surfaceswhere the person's body lays on are sometimes made of flexible laminarelements like synthetic fabrics, drilled foils of the Kerma straw kindor alike.

These flexible laminar elements are fixed to the frame of the bearingstructure through appropriate locking devices.

Some state of the art locking devices are made of screws which areapplied to the frame's perimeter in order to fix the flexible laminarelement to the same frame.

Other state of the art locking devices provide for the use of syntheticstrings which pass first through eyelets found on the edges of theflexible laminar element and that are subsequently turned intoprotrusions present along the frame's perimeter.

A first inconvenience of the state of the art locking devices availableon the market consists in that the assembly of the flexible laminarelement to the frame is particularly difficult.

A second inconvenience, related to the first one, consists in that theabove-mentioned problem considerably affects both on the productiontimes and costs.

A further inconvenience consists in that the assembly must be carriedout by expert personnel who flawlessly achieves the operation.

The locking devices with synthetic strings, in addition, have theinconvenience that the interlace of the strings which carries out theconnection between the flexible laminar element and the frame is notvery hygienic, because the strings are a vehicle for the depositing ofdirt.

Furthermore it is possible that the strings, because they are freelyaccessible, can be subject to tampering or breaking thus jeopardizingthe safety of the people who utilize these handworks.

The last but not least inconvenience is that the presence of suchstrings provide the sun-bed with a no less than questionable look.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to remedy the above-mentionedinconveniences.

More specifically, it is a first object of the invention that of makinga locking device that, with the reliability and seal being equal to thestate of the art locking device, would allow to noticeably reduce theassembly time of the bearing structure compared to what occurs in thestate of the art technique.

It is another object that of making a locking device that for its manualassembly would not require the operator to have any particular ability.

It is a further object that of making a locking device which could bealso applied automatically to the frame.

It is yet another object that of making a locking device which wouldimprove the look of the bearing structure as a whole.

It is a further object that of making a locking device which wouldprovide the greatest connection safety between the frame and theflexible laminar element.

It is still another object that of making a locking device that wouldget rid of potential gaps wherein impurities of all kinds could getdeposited.

It is a last but not least object that the invented device can be easilyremoved from the frame in order to allow the check up, replacement orcleaning of some components of the bearing structure.

Said objects are achieved by a locking device of a flexible laminarelement connected to a frame in order to achieve a bearing structure fora person's body that, in line with the main claim, is characterized incomprising a groove obtained along at least one part of the perimeter ofsaid frame and a shaped insert suitable for being pressed into saidgroove in order to constrain the perimetral edge of said flexiblelaminar element between said groove and said shaped insert; inside saidgrove a plurality of openings is arranged for the passage of as manyappendixes of said shaped insert equipped with coupling means fit tosnap said shaped insert to said frame.

Advantageously, the application of the flexible laminar element to theframe turns out to be particularly easy and fit to be carried out withthe aid of automatic machines as well.

The invention likewise allows having a safe anchorage of the flexiblefoil to the frame, thus improving the safety of the user who layshim/herself on the structure.

Yet advantageously, the device of the invention allows achieving acontinuity between the flexible laminar element and the frame, thusconsiderably reducing the gaps wherein the impurities can get depositedand in the meanwhile by providing the entire structure with aparticularly attractive line.

Equally useful, the locking device is made in such a manner that thepart which is exposed to the sun rays is made of polyamide that underthese circumstances is notoriously not subject to deterioration, whilethe part exposed to sunlight is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

This allows the connection of the flexible laminar element to thelocking device through welding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Said objects and advantages will be better highlighted in an explanatorybut not limiting way during the description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the locking device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the locking device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the locking device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plane view of a detail of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the locking device ofFIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The locking device of the invention is generally indicated with 1 in thefollowing FIGS. 1 and 2, where is shown with an isometric view and alongitudinal section respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the locking device connects a flexible laminarelement 2, made of synthetic fibres, to a frame 3 in order to achieve abearing structure 4, of which only a detail is illustrated, suitable forhousing a person's body.

Regarding the frame 3, it is preferably made of a plastic materialthrough an injection moulding operation.

Regarding the flexible laminar element instead, in other embodiments itcould consist of a cloth also made of natural or mixed fibres, or itcould take up the form of a net or alike made of a plastic material.

According to the invention, the locking device 1 comprises a groove 5obtained along the perimeter, generally indicated with 11, of the frame3 and a shaped insert 6 which is pressed into the groove 5 in order toconstrain the perimetral edge 7 of the flexible laminar element 2between the groove 5 and the shaped insert 6.

Furthermore, a plurality of openings, generally indicated with 8, isobtained inside the groove 5, in order to allow the passage of as manycorresponding appendixes 9 present on the shaped insert 6 equipped withcoupling means, generally indicated with 10, which snap the shapedinsert 6 to the frame 3.

In FIG. 3 it must be noticed that the groove 5 has a profile 5′ mainlywith a U shape that is developed according to a longitudinal direction Xalong the frame 3.

As better shown in FIG. 4, the openings 8 are obtained at the bottom 21of the groove 5 along said longitudinal direction X.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention that is heredescribed and with reference to the FIG. 2, the shaped insert 6comprises a first laminar body 12, made of a synthetic material, in thiscase of polyamide, with a mainly longitudinal development and equippedwith the appendixes 9 and, at the opposite side, with a shaped head 13.

The shaped insert 6 further comprises a second laminar body 14, made ofpolyvinyl chloride (PVC), it too with a mainly longitudinal development,which the perimetral edge 7 of the flexible laminar element 2 is appliedto, in this case through welding.

In such manner, when the first laminar body 12 and the second laminarbody 14 are pressed into the groove 5, they constrain the perimetraledge 7 of the flexible laminar element 2 to the frame 3 by arrangingthemselves juxtaposed and mutually in contact.

Furthermore, in FIG. 3 one can see that the shaped head 13, which isarranged as cover to the groove 5 when the locking device 1 of theinvention is in the operative mode, defines a first shoulder 15 on thefirst laminar body 12, which receives the second laminar body 14 and thesecond shoulder 16, opposed to the first shoulder 15, which matches theframe 3 inside of the groove 5.

More specifically, as shown again in FIG. 3, the first shoulder 15 hasan opposing surface 17 slanted upwards and converging towards the firstlaminar body 12, which matches in a stable but removable manner theupper edge 19 of the second laminar body 14, so as to prevent theaccidental separation of the latter when it gets applied to the firstlaminar body 12.

The second shoulder 16, instead, has an opposing surface 18 slantedupwards but divergent from the first laminar body 12, which matches theframe 3.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, is at last emphasized that the coupling means 10,which further secure the shaped insert 6 into the groove 5, consist ofthe ends 20 of the appendixes 9 folded into a hook shape so as topartially enclose the frame 3.

Operatively, after having applied, through welding, the perimetral edge7 of the flexible laminar element 2 to the second laminar body 14 madeof PVC of the shaped insert 6, the operator juxtaposes the secondlaminar body 14 to the first laminar body 12, arranging them mainlyparallel and so as to couple the perimetral edge 19 of the first onewith the opposing surface 18 of the second one.

Having completed this operation, the shaped insert 6 thus obtained ispressed into the groove 5 found on the frame 3.

The appendixes 9 of the first laminar body 12 pass through thecorresponding openings 8 present at the bottom 21 of the groove 5.

The application of the locking device 1 to the frame 3 ends withsnapping the ends 20 of the appendixes 9 to the same frame 3 and withthe positioning of the shaped head 13 of the first laminar body 12 as acover for the groove 5.

In this situation, the polyamide shaped head 13 protects the second PVClaminar body 14 from sun rays exposure that otherwise, due exactly tothe material which is made of, would damage it thus severelyjeopardizing its functionality.

Whenever someone wishes to carry out either check up or cleaningoperations of the flexible laminar element 2 and of the components ofthe locking device 1, or replace the same flexible laminar element 2, itwould be enough to work on the coupling means 10, by releasing the ends20 of the appendix 9 of the first laminar body 12 from the frame 3 andby removing the shaped insert 6 from the groove 5.

The user will then be able either to change, according to his/her ownneeds and preferences, the type and colour of the flexible laminarelement, or to replace it when it is particularly deteriorated.

At last in FIG. 5 an embodiment of the locking device 1 of the inventionis shown.

The bearing structure 4 obtained is in this case a sun-bed wherein aperson can either lay on or lean on it.

According to a further operative embodiment, the flexible laminarelement could be applied to the second laminar body of the shaped insertthrough gluing.

It is thus understood from what has been previously said that thelocking device of the invention accomplishes all of the previouslymentioned objects and advantages.

In the operative phase variations can be brought to the locking deviceof the invention.

Hence for example, the grooves could not be obtained along the entireperimeter of the frame of the bearing structure, but instead only alongtwo parallel and opposing stretches of the same frame.

It is understood that all previously mentioned or not mentionedvariations, should be all considered protected anyhow by the presentpatent if falling within the scope of the following claims.

1. A locking device of a flexible laminar element connected to a framein order to achieve a bearing structure which houses a person's body,comprising: a groove obtained along at least one part of the perimeterof said frame and a shaped insert suitable for being pressed into saidgroove in order to constrain the perimetral edge of said flexiblelaminar element between said groove and said shaped insert; inside saidgroove a plurality of openings is arranged for the passage of as manyappendixes of said shaped insert equipped with coupling means fit tosnap said shaped insert to said frame, said shaped insert comprising: afirst laminar body with a mainly longitudinal development and equippedwith said appendixes and with a shaped head arranged as a cover for saidgroove at the opposite side of said appendixes, said shaped headdefining a first shoulder on said first laminar body fit to receive asecond laminar body, and a second laminar body with a mainlylongitudinal development defining a second shoulder, opposed to saidfirst shoulder, suitable for matching said frame inside of said groove,which said perimetral edge of said flexible laminar element is appliedto, said first laminar body and said second laminar body beingjuxtaposed and mutually in contact in order to constrain said perimetraledge of said flexible laminar element to said frame when they arepressed into said groove, wherein said first shoulder has an opposingsurface slanted upwards and converging towards said first laminar body,so as to prevent the separation of said second laminar body from saidfirst laminar body.
 2. The locking device according to claim 1 whereinsaid groove has a U shaped profile developed according to a longitudinaldirection along said frame.
 3. The locking device according to claim 2,wherein said openings are obtained at the bottom of said U shaped groovealong said longitudinal direction.
 4. The locking device according toclaim 1, wherein said second shoulder has an opposing surface slantedupwards and divergent from the first laminar body.
 5. The locking deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said second laminar body has an upper edgefit to match in a stable but removable manner said opposing surface ofsaid first shoulder.
 6. The locking device according to claim 1, whereinsaid coupling means consist of the end of said appendixes folded into ahook shape.
 7. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst laminar body of said shaped insert is made of synthetic material.8. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein said second laminarbody of said shaped insert is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
 9. Thelocking device according to claim 1, wherein said perimetral edge ofsaid flexible laminar element is applied through welding to said secondlaminar body of said shaped insert.
 10. The locking device according toclaim 1, wherein said perimetral edge of said flexible laminar elementis applied through gluing to said second laminar body of said shapedinsert.
 11. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein saidflexible laminar element is made of cloth.
 12. The locking deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein said cloth is made of synthetic fibres.13. The locking device according to claim 11, wherein said cloth is madeof natural fibres.